La encourage
by Linda Eastman
Summary: Jack saves an X7 his clone! But then he and Max get into troubles... this is an english story but you might've been confused by the title!


AUTHOR: X8-948 (LE)  
RATING: for all and everyone :-)  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them!  
SUMMARY: Jack saves an X7 his clone! But then he and Max get into troubles...  
It is an english story but you might've been confused by the title  
TITLE: La encourage  
The X5's were preparing for their once-a-week-water-test. Sometimes they had to train their lung capacity and sometimes they had to go in the outdoor swimming pool to test how long they could face the cold and 5 metres deep water. These tests could take more then 5 hours, sometimes nearly 9 hours; they had to kick with their legs cause using their arms was forbidden.  
Those tests were awful, it was hell. And today was one of those days...  
  
"X5's into the water!" A TAC leader shouted.  
  
And without hesitation they all jumped into the -1° water.  
  
"Start"  
  
They held their arms above the water following the rules of the test. Slowly they started to kick with their legs saving as much energy as they could for the end because they knew they would be in trouble otherwise.  
  
After nearly 4 hours most of them were tired. Eva glanced at Jack who was getting into trouble. His eyes widened with fear. Eva signalled to him to take it easy. And she started to kick into a rhythm that Jack could follow. Following that rhythm, Jack was saved and when the TAC leader turned around he quickly signalled a thank you to Eva.  
  
Only Zack and Max weren't tired and when the TAC leader turned again, they helped the others find an easy rhythm.  
  
After more then 6 hours the TAC leader barked: "X5's out of the water, return to your barracks for a shower and report in the mess hall at exactly 1230 hours!"  
  
Jack turned his head, hearing a strange sound. He saw a younger group of soldiers standing next the pool. He noticed a small dark boy at the end of the line. His eyes were attracted to him somehow. He marched next to Max and told her that he was gonna hide to see if that group could pass the test.  
  
"Jack are you nuts? Come back here! JACK???"  
  
Max ran after her brother, who was already on the roof of a small building next to the pool.  
  
"Keep low Max, this is the perfect hiding spot."  
  
"Jack come on, let's go back!" Max almost begged with a childish voice "They'll catch us and send us to the Nomolies because we've disobeyed orders!"  
  
"There is no such thing as Nomolies, don't believe everything Ben tells you… and whether were gonna stay here or not they're gonna catch us anyway so we might as well stay up here to look at them."  
  
Max was getting curious and looked at the small children in the water "How old would they be? One or maybe two and a half? I bet they're X7's"  
  
Again they looked at the small soldiers struggling to get some air. Jack saw the small boy he'd noticed earlier disappearing into the water. After a few minutes he started to panic because the boy was still under the water.  
  
Jack started to yell. "Hold on, you can make it. Try it, you can do it! I believe in you...."  
  
Tears were falling down his cheeks, and he lost it; he completely lost it. Max tried to stop him but Jack jumped into the water again. Diving to save that boy.  
  
When Jack saw him; he grabbed the kid and took him to the surface. "You're safe! By the Blue Lady your safe!"  
  
The little boy climbed out of the pool coughing up some water he'd swallowed. He looked at the strange kid that kneeled next to him. He looked at his face. Those eyes they were so familiar. Who the hell was this?  
  
"Hi I'm X5-417 and you?"  
  
"I'm X7-416" He said not sure if it was alright to give this kind of information away. Maybe this was a trap from the Colonel and he would be punished cause he gave information away so easily.  
  
"What the hell is going on here? X5-417 and 452 why aren't you at your barracks taking a shower like you were told to do? You two are disobeying the orders that you were given. The Colonel will hear from this! You are not allowed to go to the mess hall with your unit. You will wait for further orders from the colonel. Now GO!"  
  
The two X5's ran off to their barracks. Jack looked over his shoulders seeing that the TAC leader yelled at X7-416. Secretly he gave the boy the name Jack Junior. It wasn't a cool name but it fitted him!  
  
Back in their barracks they were reprimanded by Zack but this time it didn't bothered Jack. When his unit left to go to the mess hall Jack and Max were left alone...  
  
"What the hell happened to you up there?"  
  
"I don't know Max. I just had to save him. He looks like me. The smallest boy from his unit imperfect but still there. It felted like I had to take care of him. He would've died without me. For the first time in my life it feels like I did something right."  
  
"Yeah but now we're have to explain it to Lydecker and I don't think he's very pleased with the mess we created."  
  
"Don't worry Max… It was meant to be this way!"  
  
"Oh are you gonna say that to the colonel too? Sorry sir but I was meant to save that boy. Wake up Jack and stop dreaming!"  
  
"Quit it Max! You'll never understand this one. None of you would. Have you ever felt like you were garbage, a doll they were playing with? Do you have any idea what it's like to lose every fight with sparring. Have you ever looked death into the eyes??? NO… But I did! You are little miss perfect well I'm not. I know I don't deserve the numbers they gave me. I'm Jack, not 417 and that makes me more human then you will ever be."  
  
Jack was angry, he was happy and sad so many feelings he could not understand. Max heard footsteps coming their way and with one quick hand-signal she warned Jack and in the minute they stood as straight as a board waiting for their expected visitor to come in. The door flew open and the Colonel peeked at them. They could tell by the way he looked that he was very, very angry about it.  
  
"X5-417 and X5-452. What the hell were you doing there? You disobeyed a direct order given you by someone above you; and if that wasn't enough… you and 417 had to disturb their test."  
  
"Permission to speak sir"  
  
"Denied"  
  
"But sir..."  
  
"You are speaking? I denied it to you; yet you dare to speak?"  
  
"This was my idea sir! 452 just tried to stop me from doing stupid things I am the one to blame for this!"  
  
"Is that true 452?"  
  
Max looked at Jack, worried. If she said no she would betray her brother but saying yes also felt like a betrayal.  
  
"Yes sir" She said looking at the ground, ashamed.  
  
"Fine 452 you can rejoin your unit in the mess hall, 417 come with me."  
  
Max marched down the long hall as she felt guilt towards Jack but there was nothing that she could do right now. She rejoined her unit and tried to forget about it but she just couldn't. When they arrived at their barracks it was already past midnight. Jack was still not there and Max confessed everything that happened to Zack.  
  
"It's not your fault Maxie." He whispered so the others wouldn't hear it. "Jack choose to take the punishment on him and it was his plan, he will be fine."  
  
"He isn't like us Zack; it's hard to say it but he's not as strong as us, he's weaker. I had to step forward to take the punishment on me!"  
  
They all jumped up when the doors from the barracks flew open. Three TAC leaders carried Jack inside and laid him on his cot. He was unconscious and didn't respond on the questions from the others and when he finally awaked he had seizures all night long. Everyone looked worried but they didn't asked anymore questions. The next morning when the last seizure faded away; Jack said "It was worth it, I know who I am…"  
  
And no one dared to ask anymore questions because by the haunted look in his eyes they saw that he had gone through hell.  
  
The next few days Jack changed a lot; he didn't talked as they were used to and he never told them a joke. Jack died a few days before his body gave up the fight. 


End file.
